by Diogo Almeida, SDB
I have heard of loving kindness in the Salesian environment; it is one of the pillars of Don Bosco's education; together with reason and religion, it is part of this educational system still used today by the Salesians.
Loving kindness is the basis of education. When an educator is attentive towards the young, he or she listens to them, educates them and teaches them kindly: hence, besides educating the child, the educator is also gentle and kind in their attitude towards the young person.
Loving kindness is not very common in our vocabulary, let alone in our society. Yet there are signs, testimonies and actions that show how important it is in our daily lives.
There are many people we can take as models, who care about the common good. The young, for example, do so much good, in sporadic voluntary actions or through volunteering on a continuous basis, or in gestures to and with others. When delicacy – that is, tact and sensitivity - and education are experienced in everyday life, the young person becomes much happier.
When I see young people volunteering for society's most disadvantaged, I am excited because I'm sure young people are able to motivate, change and improve society. I am in daily contact with these young people and for me they are an incentive to commit myself even more to the education of the poorest and most disadvantaged.
What a joy it is to see young people involved in dioceses and parishes, in movements, in groups or projects related to social services wherein they become protagonists and develop their gifts for others, thus contributing to a community, a more active and more beautiful society.
We, the young, want to see a society that is full of life, more joyful, more just and better. The more we will be loving and kind with our neighbors, through our example, the more society will be united and happy, and everyone's life improved.
Nowadays everything is so fleeting and fast, but feelings are long-lasting, solid and permanent. Why not change the smartphone app with the app of the heart, of proximity to other people and, if we want, also of intimacy? When we know people well, intimately, we want to be with them and worry about their happiness: this is being loving and kind.
Install the app of loving kindness! Surely we will have a happier life and do many wonderful things.
